Experienced Experienced EmotionEmotion

Chapter 12, Lecture 4Chapter 12, Lecture 4

“The surprising reality: We overestimate theduration of our emotions and underestimateour capacity to adapt.”

- David Myers

Experienced EmotionIzard (1977) isolated 10 emotions. Most of them are present in infancy, except for contempt, shame, and

guilt.

p. 515

Experienced Emotion

Fear

How much of what we fear is due to nature, and how much is due to nurture?

Anger

Anger “carries the mind away,” (Virgil, 70-19 B.C.), but “makes any

coward brave,” (Cato 234-149 B.C.).

Causes of Anger

1. People generally become angry with friends and loved ones who commit wrongdoings, especially if they are willful, unjustified, and avoidable.

2. People are also angered by foul odors, high temperatures, traffic jams, and aches and pains.

Catharsis HypothesisVenting anger through action or fantasy

achieves an emotional release or “catharsis.”

“In short, expressing anger can be temporarilycalming if it does not leave us feeling guilty oranxious. However, despite the temporaryafterglow, catharsis usually fails to cleanseone’s rage. More often, expressing angerbreeds more anger.”

- David Myers

Cultural & Gender Differences

1. Boys respond to anger by moving away from that situation, while girls talk to their friends or listen to music.

2. Anger breeds prejudice. The 9/11 attacks led to an intolerance towards immigrants and Muslims.

3. The expression of anger is more encouraged in cultures that do not promote group behavior than in cultures that do promote group behavior.

People who are happy perceive the world as being safer. They are able to make

decisions easily, are more cooperative, rate job

applicants more favorably, and live healthier, energized,

and more satisfied lives.

Happiness

“How to gain, how to keep, how to recoverhappiness is in fact for most men at all timesthe secret motive for all they do.” - William James

Feel-Good, Do-Good Phenomenon

When we feel happy we are more willing

to help others.

“Happiness doesn’t just feel good, it does good.”- David Myers

Subjective Well-Being

Subjective well-being is the self-perceived feeling of happiness or satisfaction with life. Research on

new positive psychology is on the rise.http://w

eb.fineliving.com

Emotional Ups and DownsOur positive moods rise to a maximum

within 6-7 hours after waking up. Negative moods stay more or less the same

throughout the day.

Emotional Ups and Downs

Over the long run, our emotional ups and downs tend to balance. Although grave

diseases can bring individuals emotionally down, most people adapt.

Courtesy of A

nna Putt

Emotional Ups and Downs

Wealth and Well-beingMany people in the West believe that if they

were wealthier, they would be happier. However, data suggests that they would only

be happy temporarily.

Wealth and Well-being

1. In affluent societies, people with more money are happier than people who struggle for their basic needs.

2. People in rich countries are happier than people in poor countries.

3. A sudden rise in financial conditions makes people happy.

However, people who live in poverty or in slums are also satisfied with their life.

Does Money Buy Happiness?

Wealth is like health: Its

utter absence can breed misery, yet

having it is no guarantee of happiness.

Happiness & SatisfactionSubjective well-being (happiness +

satisfaction) measured in 82 countries shows Puerto Rico and Mexico (poorer

countries) at the top of the list.

Values & Life Satisfaction

Students who value love more than money report higher life satisfaction.

Happiness & Prior Experience

Adaptation-Level Phenomenon: Like the adaptation to brightness, volume, and touch, people adapt to income levels. “Satisfaction

has a short half-life” (Ryan, 1999).

“The point to remember: Satisfaction anddissatisfaction, success and failure – all arerelative to our recent experience.”

- David Myers

Happiness is not only relative to our past, but also to our comparisons with others. Relative Deprivation is the perception

that we are relatively worse off than those we compare ourselves with.

Happiness & Others’ Attainments

“…as people climb the ladder of success theymostly compare themselves with peers whoare at or above their current level.”

- David Myers

Predictors of Happiness

Why are some people generally more happy than others?

HomeworkAY Questions – p.507, 527(10 pts), Study!

“Economic growth in affluent countries hasprovided no apparent boost to morale orsocial well-being.”

- David Myers